Nazareth Christmas Postmark Tradition Continues

Nazareth Christmas Postmark Tradition Continues

In Nazareth, KY, a post office continued its annual tradition of hand-stamping custom Christmas-themed postmarks onto thousands of envelopes.

An annual Christmastime tradition in Nazareth continued Friday.

Nazareth, KY, that is.

Each year since the late 1990s, postmasters at the Nazareth Post Office have hand-stamped every envelope that came through with a Christmas-themed postmark.

For the past five years, Norine Masterson has been postmaster.

For the last two, she has hand-drawn the stamp design.

"I decided since this was Nazareth, Kentucky, it would be fitting to have a postmark that was designed to fit the occasion at Christmastime," said Masterson.

The 2012 Christmas-themed stamp was a depiction of the biblical birth of Jesus--parents holding the baby in their arms.

Masterson said that more than 16,000 envelopes from 12 different countries come into the post office each year.

"I do enjoy it--it's fun," said Masterson, before adding that it's also very gratifying, "I get a lot of cards during the year thanking me. Cookies, cakes...and it's really nice, nice gestures. But they're really sweet, and they're really appreciative of it, too."

The people who send in envelopes to be postmarked often address them right to the post office--if you don't live in the area, you can't guarantee one.

The postmaster said people will send a large envelope with smaller envelopes inside--correct postage and address already attached--with a note asking for them to be marked.

And every one is hand stamped with the custom-drawn mark.

If you'd like a Christmas-themed postmark, include postage, address, and envelope inside another envelope and send it to: Nazareth Post Office, Nazareth, KY 40048